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Joined June 2009

Wall Art

Canvas Print

Photographic Print

Art Print

Framed Print

Metal Print

Stationery

Greeting Card

Artist's Description

This State Hospital was established in its present location in 1901 as a farm colony for “chronic insane patients”. By 1945 the number of patients had risen to 1,730, with a total staff of 250 with 241 vacancies. By this time the institution had grown to 1,200 acres with buildings scattered widely over an area covering three towns. After 72 years of operation the Hospital was closed in 1973 as the first of a series of institutions to close in its state. The campus is now occupied by a University , a Job Corps Program, and various state agencies. Most structures have been renovated and altered for re-use, some have been demolished. A graveyard remains on a nearby hilltop with 1,041 numbered, nameless graves of persons who died in this institution. A handwritten list of their names survives in various archives.

Taken with PentaxK100 D Super 18-55 lens….

Sold 3 prints so far!

As of 1/07/10 1,614 Viewings!!!

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Artwork Comments

A nice composition of emptiness..of desolation and decay. You have use 4 to great effect here with the blue/grey chair tonally fitting in very well with the last little bit of blue/grey paint on the skirting board. colinsart

AWESOME! great use of space. I love how all the chairs are square to the floor but the burgundy one has a twisted leg. The textures & tones on the wall behind are divine and the tile lines lead right to the subject! Great work!

Very striking image great eye to notice the potential of these multi colored chairs against the color faded peeling wall also like that you included the light switches at top left gives the whole shot ballance-nicely done!

Daria, the info you give is wonderful too. One wonders how such a large facility could be closed. It’s not as if there are fewer people with mental illness. Maybe better drugs etc, but there may figuratively be a set of people out in the community which corresponds to this set of chairs. (I don’t mean patients from the same time as the chairs neccessarily, but people who would give same atmosphere to a similar photgraph.) Very atmospheric photo!